Description
A rich Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, layered with moist chocolate sponge, gooey caramel, and silky ganache. A truly decadent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Chocolate Cake Layers:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed recommended)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- ¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream, warmed
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for garnish
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 ounces (225g) dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), chopped
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Your Cake Layers:: First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. I usually line the bottoms with parchment paper too, because honestly, nothing is worse than a stuck cake layer! In a big bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. It’s important to get everything evenly distributed here. I can almost smell the chocolatey goodness already!
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Combine:: In a separate, medium bowl, whisk your eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until they’re well combined. Now, slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix, hon! Overmixing develops gluten too much, and we want a tender cake, not a rubber ball. I always try to stop as soon as I see no more dry streaks, even if it feels a little lumpy.
- Bake the Chocolate Cake:: Divide your batter evenly between the prepared pans. I sometimes use a kitchen scale for this, just to be precise, but eyeballing it works too. Bake for about 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. When they’re done, let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely. This is where I always want to rush, but a warm cake will crumble and melt your frosting!
- Make the Salted Caramel:: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over medium heat without stirring until it turns a deep amber color. This takes patience, so don’t walk away! Once it’s amber, carefully pour in the warm heavy cream (it will bubble up fiercely, so be careful!). Whisk until smooth, then remove from heat and stir in the butter and flaky sea salt. Let it cool completely until it’s thick enough to drizzle. I once added cold cream, and it seized up into a hard lump, oops!
- Whip Up the Chocolate Ganache:: Place your chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, gently whisk until it’s smooth and glossy. Let it cool at room temperature until it thickens to a spreadable consistency. If it’s too thin, your Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake will be a runny mess!
- Assemble Your Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake:: Once your cake layers are completely cool, place one layer on your serving plate. Drizzle a generous amount of cooled salted caramel over it, leaving a small border. Top with the second cake layer. Pour the thickened chocolate ganache over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Drizzle more salted caramel on top, and if you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle a little extra flaky sea salt. The finished Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake should look rich and inviting, almost too pretty to eat!